This course is currently sold out. We do sometimes get cancellations – if you would like to be added to the waiting list, please complete a booking form or contact us.
World-renowned butterfly and moth expert and author David Brown returns to lead a late-Summer week of field trips, workshops and lectures focusing on rare and interesting summer butterflies and moths of Somerset.
There will be field visits to the Blackdown Hills and a location at Taunton to study the nationally important Brown Hairstreak. Light traps will be operated in the wooded grounds of Halsway Manor where the nationally declining Hedge Rustic and the recently established Clifden Nonpareil are local specialities.
Illustrated evening talks and workshops will help sharpen identification skills and provide knowledge on the ecology of selected species .
Participants may be asked to car-share to help with transport on field visits.
This is a popular course and places are limited so please do book early to reserve your place and avoid disappointment.
Programme
Please note that there may be alterations to the timings of the field trips to make best use of the weather conditions. The typical programme for the week looks a bit like this:
4.00 Arrival and tea
9.15 Inspection of light traps
11.30 Field visit (Blackdown Hills)
4.00 Afternoon tea
6.30 Dinner
7.30 Identification workshop / slideshow
8.30 Breakfast
9.15 Inspection of light traps
11.30 Field visit (Taunton)
7.30 Identification workshop / slides
8.30 Breakfast
9.15 Inspection of light traps
11.30 Field visit (Bossington)
4.00 Afternoon tea
6.30 Dinner
8.30 Breakfast
9.30 Inspection of light traps
12.00 Analysis, results and conclusions.
Who’s it For?
This course is open to anyone who would like to know more about butterflies and moths. There will be field trips – whatever the weather! – so please bring suitable clothing and footwear for walking outdoors.
The Team
David Brown has enjoyed a life-long passion for butterflies and moths. Several decades have been spent exploring lepidoptera-rich habitats throughout the British Isles, leading to extensive studies of all the British species of macrolepidoptera in addition to many scarce immigrants. David has been Warwickshire County Recorder for larger moths since 1971 and also serves as the County’s Moth Conservation Officer. Over many years, he has tutored successful adult classes at both Warwick and Birmingham Universities and currently runs residential courses throughout the British Isles for the Field Studies Council and Adult Residential Colleges Association. Other work has involved lepidoptera surveys for ecological consultants, English Nature and Forestry Commission. David writes regularly for the National journal ‘Atropos’ and has been a member of the editorial panel since its inauguration.